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Game machine and game programRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.)Game machine and game program description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060030382, Game machine and game program. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to a game machine and a game program for maintaining some degree of a density of locations of characters in each of two or more stages prepared in a game, where the characters are movable, so as to express a state of being alive with characters. [0002] In such kind of conventional game machine and game program, a place where many people come and go, such as a bustling place and a campus, may be expressed in a three-dimensional virtual space. In such a case, it is necessary to maintain some degree of a density of characters which are located in a virtual space in order to express a state of being alive. [0003] In order to maintain some degree of density of characters in each of two or more stages in a game, a number of characters to be controlled by a CPU is [0004] (number of characters necessary for maintaining character density in each stage).times.number of stages. [0005] But, with this number of characters, the CPU should simultaneously control too many characters, so that a burden of the CPU increases, and the game does not smoothly proceed. [0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an object of the invention is to provide a game machine and game program for expressing a state of being alive without extremely increasing a burden of a CPU by maintaining some degree of character density in each of all stages where character are movable. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] One aspect of the invention is a game machine, comprising: [0008] field producing means for setting a three-dimensional virtual space where world coordinates are set in a memory and for producing a field which is comprised of two or more stages connecting with each other on said world coordinates; [0009] character locating means for respectively locating two or more characters appearing in a game in said stages in said field; [0010] operation character locating means for locating an operation character operable by a player through a controller in said stage of said field; [0011] character density computing means for computing a character density in said stage where said operation character is located; [0012] character density judgment means for judging as to whether or not said computed character density is lower than a predetermined character density; [0013] short character number computing means for computing a number of short said characters when said character density was judged to be lower than said predetermined character density; [0014] short character extracting relocation means for extracting said computed short characters from said stages other than one where said operation character is located, and for relocating said short characters in said stage where said operation character is located; and [0015] image display means for displaying an image of said stage where said operation character is located on a monitor. [0016] According to this aspect of the invention, if a character density of the stage where the operation character is located is lower than a predetermined character density, short characters are extracted from another stages and located, so that the stage where the operation character takes actions can always keep a predetermined character density even if many characters necessary for maintaining the character density for each of all stages of the field are not located, thereby easily expressing a state of being crowed or being alive. [0017] In other words, a predetermined character density can be always maintained with a minimum number of predetermined characters in the stage where the operation character is located by moving the characters between the stage where the operation character is located and the other stages. Then, it is possible to widely decrease the characters to be simultaneously controlled by a CPU so as to decrease the burden of the CPU for smooth proceeding of the game while maintaining funs of the game, such as being alive and being crowded in stages. [0018] Another aspect of the invention is the game machine according to claim 1, wherein said short character extracting relocation means has stage selection means for selecting said stage departing from said stage where said operation character is located by a predetermined number of stages as a stage from which said short characters are to be extracted, and short character extracting means for extracting said short characters from said selected stage. [0019] According to this aspect of the invention, the short characters are extracted from the stages which depart from the stage where the operation character is located by a predetermined number of stages. Even if the operation character moves to an adjacent stage, it is possible to avoid an unnatural location of characters on the development of a scenario, that is, to avoid extracting the short characters which has been relocated just before from the stage as the short characters again and to avoid relocating at the stage where the operation character is located. [0020] Besides, another aspect of the invention is game program for getting a computer to execute the following routines, comprising: [0021] a field producing routine for setting a three-dimensional virtual space where world coordinates are set in a memory and for producing a field which is comprised of two or more stages connecting with each other on said world coordinates; [0022] a character locating routine for respectively locating two or more characters appearing in a game in said stages in said field; [0023] an operation character locating routine for locating an operation character operable by a player through a controller in said stage of said field; [0024] a character density computing routine for computing a character density in said stage where said operation character is located; [0025] a character density judgment routine for judging as to whether or not said computed character density is lower than a predetermined character density; [0026] a short character number computing routine for computing a number of short said characters when said character density was judged to be lower than said predetermined character density; [0027] a short character extracting relocation routine for extracting said computed short characters from said stages other than one where said operation character is located, and for relocating said short characters in said stage where said operation character is located; and [0028] an image display routine for displaying an image of said stage where said operation character is located on a monitor. [0029] According to this aspect of the invention, if a character density of the stage where the operation character is located is lower than a predetermined character density, short characters are extracted from another stages and located, so that the stage where the operation character takes actions can always keep a predetermined character density even if many characters necessary for maintaining the character density for each of all stages of the field are not located, thereby easily expressing a state of being crowed or being alive. [0030] In other words, a predetermined character density can be always maintained with a minimum number of predetermined characters in the stage where the operation character is located by moving the characters between the stage where the operation character is located and the other stages. Then, it is possible to widely decrease the characters to be simultaneously controlled by a CPU so as to decrease the burden of the CPU for smooth proceeding of the game while maintaining funs of the game, such as being alive and being crowded in stages. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0031] FIG. 1 is a control block diagram exemplarily showing a game machine to which the invention is applied; [0032] FIG. 2 is a view exemplarily showing stages comprising a field to be produced in a three-dimensional virtual space; [0033] FIG. 3 is a view of an action control table for respective characters; [0034] FIG. 4 is a view showing an initial location state of each character in the field of FIG. 2; [0035] FIG. 5 is a view of the action control table where present positions of characters have been rewritten by adjustment of a character density; [0036] FIG. 6 is a view showing a state where short characters have been moved in the field of FIG. 4 by adjustment of the character density; and [0037] FIG. 7 is a flowchart exemplarily showing procedures for adjustment of character density. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Continue reading about Game machine and game program... Full patent description for Game machine and game program Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Game machine and game program patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Game machine and game program or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Force feedback device for simulating combat Next Patent Application: Gaming machine and program thereof Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Game machine and game program patent info. 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